'Ceasefire' Over, Gaza Terrorists Add Sniper Fire to Arsenal

Gaza terrorists began the first official day of the non-ceasefire with their daily rocket attack. But by 8:30 a.m. it had escalated to gunfire.

By Hana Levi Julian

First Publish: 12/19/2008, 9:27 AM

The firing at farmers in the field is the final piece of evidence on the end of the 'calm'Gaza terrorists began the first official day after the end of the so-called "temporary ceasefire" early Friday morning with the usual barrage of Kassam rockets aimed at the western Negev.

The attacks began at the usual hour, approximately 7:30 a.m., when Jewish children are walking to school and their parents and other adults are on their way to work, thus maximizing the chances of the missiles hitting civilian targets.

Two Kassam rockets exploded in the Eshkol region, fired by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

A second attack soon followed, with the terrorist group also responsible for a Kassam rocket striking the Sha'ar HaNegev district.

No one was injured and no damage was reported in any of the incidents.

By 8:30 a.m., however, the attacks had escalated to include sniper fire, thus indicating the official end to the tahadiyeh, or temporary truce.

Gaza terrorists fired at farmers working near Kibbutz Nir Oz, east of the Hamas-controlled region. The targeted Jews were rescued by an IDF armored corps unit. Although a vehicle was damaged, no one was injured in the attack.

Eshkol Regional Council Chairman Chaim Yellin commented that sniper fire made it clear that Hamas had no intention of continuing the ceasefire, according to Voice of Israel government radio.

"The firing at farmers in the field is the final piece of evidence on the end of the 'calm'," Yellin said. "We have gone back to the situation of half a year ago."